Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-4 (ESV)
"For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices, there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."
I heard once that somewhere in the world there are children who love having neat and tidy rooms. Rooms where all the toys are packed away, the clothes are folded and the beds are made. Sadly, that is not the reality of my world. While my wife is fastidiously tidy, my children somehow did not inherit that gene. I imagine being a child like that would be quite exhausting. Every time you play a game, it messes up your tidy room. So even when you are free to mess up your room and play, you have the constant nagging feeling in the background that you will need to clean up again afterwards. This nagging feeling keeps you from fully enjoying the freedom you have to play.
That is the same sort of picture the author of Hebrews is sketching here in chapter 10. Over the last several days we have been looking at how Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is perfect and replaces the sacrificial system of the old covenant. But today the author introduces a new aspect into that picture: Because Jesus’ sacrifice is a once for all sacrifice, we don’t need to be reminded of sins every day. Our consciences are clean in Christ!
I think it is very natural for a believer to feel guilty about their sin, especially if it is a stubborn sin that they just can’t seem overcome no matter how hard they try. Things like addictions, patterns of behaviour that have been learnt over a lifetime, and other issues that are for whatever reason really hard to overcome. We can feel as if we should just be done with these sins and because we can’t overcome them we can start to feel guilty and ashamed. On the one hand that is understandable because we want to live a righteous life for Jesus! But on the other hand it is to miss the glorious truth of the Gospel.
Your sins, past, present and future, are forgiven on the cross. Your guilt is completely washed away. You are eternally clean because of Christ. And nothing can take that away. Hanging on to guilt is like that child playing with the constant niggle in the back of their mind that they will need to clean up after.
Let the guilt go, and enjoy the freedom to play.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for setting me completely free. Thank you that I don’t need to hold on to my guilt because you took it on yourself. Help me to live a guilt-free holy life in response. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Identify any guilt or shame you’ve been holding onto. Confess it to God and consciously embrace the clean conscience Jesus offers.
A Clean Conscience in Christ